Although it has been over eight months since the Finger Lakes region of New York was awarded a casino license, groups continue to fight tooth and nail in hopes of the casino not coming to fruition. Recently, an appeals court ruled the construction of the site be suspended due to an expedited environmental review which didn’t follow proper protocol.
Casino opponents see this suspension as an opportunity to beef up their efforts to push for a broader environmental review, which has seen funding for lawyers by Lago’s competitors.
The Lago proposal will see more than 1,800 permanent jobs created, tax reductions and attractions to draw millions of tourists to the Finger Lakes. The population of Tyre, the city where the casino will be situated, is just under 1,000 people.
Supervisor Ronald McGreevy said, “We need this project. We just can’t continue to go the way we’re going.” He continued, “We’re doing everything possible to follow the letter of the law, which we did last year.”
Around mid-September, board members may consider to issue a negative declaration, which would help clear the way for a state license in the fall. No gaming license would be issued prior to September 30, however. Don Earle, Seneca County Board of Supervisors chairman, said the opponents are making a “last-ditch effort” to find technical points and stop the casino’s construction.
The Fourth Department Appellate Division Court ruled the project needs a second environmental review. The casino is considered a Type 1 action, under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, which means it disturbs more than 10 acres of land and is more likely to have a negative impact on the environment.
Opponents are asking for an impact statement, which would bring forth issues that local leaders are ignoring.
